This invention relates to topical applications to relieve symptoms associated with mild muscle injuries and impaired joint function. In particular, the invention involves an analgesic balm, ointment, or liquid that contains activated zeolite as a functional source of heat.
Relief of symptoms associated with musculoskeletal distress can often be provided by local analgesics in the form of balms or ointments. In general, these compositions contain a number of ingredients, some of which are functional and others that simply act as vehicles for delivering the functional components. The functional ingredients often include pain relievers that can be absorbed through the skin for major pain relief, and a rubefacient. In general, the pain reliever requires some time to become effective, while the rubefacient acts very quickly to promote relief through warming. The rubefacient acts to dilate the vessels in the application area so that the area becomes warmer and the skin red. Examples of these materials as known in the present art include capsicum oleoresin, camphor, chloroform, menthol and allyl isothiocyanate. In general, the warming feature of these materials is somewhat fugitive and does not provide relief sustained until the action of the analgesic medicament becomes effective.
It is an object of this invention to provide an analgesic balm that causes a gentle sustained warming of the application area without the irritating effects of the usual rubefactients.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,680 discloses cosmetic compositions such as skin creams, hand creams, ointments, shampoos, toothpastes and the like that include solids that liberate heat upon adsorbing water. Synthetic aluminosilicates are among the solids disclosed.